NorCal Camping Suggestions - Lake Pillsbury (1 Viewer)

[huntingfor62]

Had plans on camping at the Lakes Basins/Gold Lake area in the next few weeks. Unfortunately there's still snow in the area. Since I'm planning on bringing the wife and kids, I'd like to find someplace warmer and close to the water. Preferably a spot where we can camp next to the water and go swimming. I'm coming from the Stockton Area so I'm looking at someplace within a 4 hour drive. Anyone have suggestions on a spot? I was thinking about Lake Pillsbury, but I'm not to familiar with it.

 

[Blade 80LC]

My trips to Lake Pillsbury are typically in November or early December. I went last weekend and it was a much different experience in summer. There are several campgrounds. They tend to get nearly full, but the spaces are big enough that isn't as crowded as some campgrounds when there is a group in the next space. They expect fires to stay fully contained in their fire rings, and camp hosts come around to enforce various rules. In summer there are faucets with running water (but turned off in winter). Toilets are outhouses/pit toilets. The lake basin is rather shallow, but I saw some fairly fast power boats out in the middle of the lake. There is a shooting range at the Gravelly Airstrip which is next to Navy Camp. I think they charge around $15-$20 per car/campsite per night.

There is no cell service in the area.

 

[huntingfor62]

My trips to Lake Pillsbury are typically in November or early December. I went last weekend and it was a much different experience in summer. There are several campgrounds. They tend to get nearly full, but the spaces are big enough that isn't as crowded as some campgrounds when there is a group in the next space. They expect fires to stay fully contained in their fire rings, and camp hosts come around to enforce various rules. In summer there are faucets with running water (but turned off in winter). Toilets are outhouses/pit toilets. The lake basin is rather shallow, but I saw some fairly fast power boats out in the middle of the lake. There is a shooting range at the Gravelly Airstrip which is next to Navy Camp. I think they charge around $15-$20 per car/campsite per night.

There is no cell service in the area.

Thanks for the tip. Which campground do you recommend and any other activities/hikes that are cool? I have little ones who like swimming and a wife who likes to hike. Thanks again.

 

[Blade 80LC]

I've always stay at the Oak Flat campground when I'm at Pillsbury. Not because I think it's any better than the other campgrounds. Only because it's the one that stays open in Late Fall. We stay there in the summer, because then we can tell the group which site we "always stay" so it's easier to find at night for our late arrivals. I haven't done any hiking around there. The rangers caution you to be wary of venturing accidentally into somebody's open range pot farm. Illegal farmers are very protective of their crops. We are generally just up for the shooting, and the camping. Since the shooting range is on a (rarely used) air strip you can set up targets at 400 or more yards if there are no other shooters trying to set up closer to the backstop. There aren't a lot of rifle ranges that have the option to shoot at 1000+ yards if you want.